male only Is this actually possible? (muscle gain vs. stall?)

[silverthreads 183]

Hello guys, I've got a puzzle that perhaps you can help me understand.

I'm about 6 weeks post VSG surgery and on the whole I'm very pleased. I'm down about 34 pounds from surgery day. I hit the expected week 3 stall at about 4 weeks, and I'm not sure I'm through it. I say I'm not sure because I have lost about 3 pounds over two weeks but nothing consistent and I go up or down a little each day. I'm not panicking or anything -- I've always seen stalls on my diets before but usually no more than a week.

I noticed something today that's puzzling me... I've got one of those fancy Withings scales that connects to the internet and charts my weight, total fat mass, etc. I've never been convinced of the accuracy of the fat mass measurement (especially since it can jump around a couple of pounds from day to day) but the downward trend is very clear.

Here's my puzzle: According to the scale, from the time I started weighing about 5 days after surgery to today I've lost 21.3 pounds. However, my fat mass has gone down 32.6 pounds. I'm having trouble believing that.

Now the other variable is that I really started hitting the gym about 3 weeks ago. I'm not a gym rat and was really out of shape, but I've been doing 25 min. on the elliptical (at a consistently increasing level) plus some bicep curls and chest presses (no abdominal work since I wasn't cleared for that until yesterday) then finishing with 15 or 30 minutes on an incline treadmill (walking fast, not running). According to the machines I'm expending about 400 calories from the cardio. (And I'm doing 4-5 days/week). I'm also eating about 750 calories/day so I'm in a serious calorie deficit and should be losing weight.

Is it in any way possible that I've actually gained roughly 10 pounds of muscle from this already? It would fit the data but I'm having a lot of trouble believing it. It would also explain this long "stall" if I'm gaining muscle at roughly the same rate I'm losing fat.

I'm the sort of guy who has gotten religion about the gym several times over the years but always given up after a while because I didn't seem to be gaining any muscle mass -- so I'm perplexed.

What say you? It would be good news if I can believe it, but I'm skeptical!

[KindaFamiliar 3,867]

@@silverthreads

In short, no, it's not possible...

Now, I'm no expert, I can assure you..

But all of the research I've done says that it's "impossible" to gain more than a pound pf muscle per week...

And this would require some regular, specific weights workouts (as opposed to cardio) as well as some pretty strict dietary details...

Again, in my completely amateur opinion, what you're experiencing is simply your body d*cking you about...

It'll take some time (and possibly quite some time) for your body to settle into a rhythm..

It's done so to some degree, which has resulted in your 'stall'...

But you're body is a fickle beast..

It'll screw you over as often as it can...

I know - I've been in a stall for about 4 months now...

Not losing...

Not gaining...

Just stalling...

Ultimately, there's nothing you can do...

Just ride it out...

It'll end..

Anyway, back to the muscle...

There are any number of websites that can help with this question...

All of the answers vary slightly, but they all point to one thing...

You've not gained 10 pounds of muscle in the six weeks since your surgery..

Sorry mate..

So for now, keep up your Protein and your Water...

Stick STRICTLY to your guidelines...

And as soon as you're cleared to do so, start smashing sh*t up in the gym...

You'll see losses (fat) and gains (muscle) at the same time...

It's difficult - but it's possible!!

Good luck to you...

[silverthreads 183]

Thanks @@KindaFamiliar . I didn't believe for a minute that I could have gained 10 pounds of muscle so quickly -- I'd be happy with a couple but no way 10! I failed to do my research -- 1 pound/week on a proper regimen seems much more likely.

Thanks for the advice. I'm happy to wait out the stall -- this too shall pass. BTW I am keeping my Protein in the 80-100 gram range though perhaps I'm not hydrating as much as I should. I keep forgetting to drink! I'll work on that.

[2goldengirl 2,076]

It's extremely difficult for your body to build lean mass during weight loss. Why? You need a calorie surplus to do so.

What IS very common is for your body (for a number of reasons) to replace fat loss with Water gain, hence the Fluid shifts you''re seeing. Especially in the early weeks of a workout program, there is muscle inflammation (which means water!) as the result of the increased work.

At six weeks out, you are only just at the end of the most major part of your healing. You may be contributing to your still by not eating enough if you are only getting in 750 calories/day. At six weeks out (plus your preop diet), your body has been in a big time calorie deficit that your body has likely slowed your metabolism down to compensate.

I learned this by going and having my RMR tested. I was about nine weeks out at the time. My metabolism was at 60% of what would be expected for my age and gender. The PhD in exercise physiology I worked with exhorted me never to eat less than my RMR each day. Mine is more than 1200 calories - I suspect yours is even higher than that.

[KristenLe 5,979]

@@silverthreads I was going to say the same - if you're working out - you may want to increase your calories a little (protein) and definitely increase Water. Congrats on your loss!

[silverthreads 183]

@@2goldengirl @KristenLe. Thanks very much for your insights. Interesting especially about the Fluid shifts. I was going to contact my NUT this week to ask about the calorie situation. Very helpful information indeed. Thank you!

[Dub 9,922]

Guys in NCAA Football and the NFL would go apshyt over gaining 10 lbs of muscle in a year.........